The Ruling on the Continuation of the Marriage Contract When the Wife Apostatizes and Repents

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: My maternal cousin’s daughter married me two years ago. I married her two years ago, and after my marriage to her, Allah granted me guidance. I became steadfast, so I faced harassment from my wife because of my righteousness, such as saying, “You must shorten your beard; your appearance is not good,” which I refuse. Sometimes she curses Allah when she is angry. What must I do, knowing that I have a daughter from her?

Answer:
This is a woman of evil who mocks the Sunnah by compelling you to cut your beard. And more severe than that, she says that you are mocking Allah or making fun of Him. This is apostasy from Islam, so two things are obligatory.
That she repents to Allah. If she repents with a valid and sincere repentance, then continue with her; otherwise, however, the contract must also be renewed. But if she repents—if she apostatized and repented before the waiting period ended, and she repented before the waiting period ended—then she remains his wife. As for if the waiting period is completed and she has not repented, and she repents after that, then a new contract is necessary for her. Yes. Or despite that. If she apostatized, she is separated from the marriage. It is looked at: if she repented before the completion of the waiting period, the marriage remains. And if she exits the waiting period and has not repented, she is completely separated, and he does not return to her except with a new contract after the repentance. Yes.